Inside College Basketball

Tonight

Long Beach State (17-6, 8-2) at Cal State Fullerton (18-5, 8-3), 7 -- It's the first time since 1976 that these teams have met with first place on the line. The 49ers have won four consecutive games, including their last two on the road. Fullerton also won two road games last week and returns home, where the Titans are 11-0 this season and have won their last 15 games. Long Beach defeated Fullerton, 95-85, on Jan. 18.

UC Irvine (11-15, 5-7) at UC Riverside (5-19, 1-9), 7 -- The Anteaters are in sixth place and battling to get into the top four, which would get them a first-round bye in the conference tournament. They have lost four of their last five games, but junior forward Patrick Sanders is averaging 18.5 points over the last four games. Riverside has lost consecutive games and a loss tonight would cinch their last-place position.

UC Santa Barbara (15-7, 6-3) at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (12-10, 4-5), 7 -- The Gauchos are happy to get back on the road, where they are 9-2 this season and have won four consecutive games. At home, they are 6-5, with losses in three of their last four games. Alex Harris leads the conference in scoring at 19.8 points a game. Cal Poly has won three of four games and defeated Santa Barbara, 71-61, on Jan. 20.

NONCONFERENCE

UC Davis (4-18) at Cal State Northridge (11-13), 7 -- The Matadors have lost five of their last six games and are in seventh place in the Big West Conference. They lost by two against Cal State Fullerton last time out, and their seven conference losses have come by an average of 6.7 points. The Aggies have lost six consecutive games but defeated Northridge, 93-88, in double overtime on Jan. 18.